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The Chinese Curse: May You Live In Interesting Times

It does seem to this humble observer of the asylum we all have to live in that the world is cursed. These are indeed interesting (frightening) times we are living in. The globalist economy that keeps the world going is nothing more than a house of cards based on fiat money, which depends on ever-expanding debt to keep it standing. If the world’s economy were a battle field; and it is, that battle field s planted with countless land mines; such that, if one is set off, the others will go off in a chain reaction. There would be no winners.

The latest land mine was planted in the bankrupt ex-Soviet country of Ukraine. It’s a good bet that this land mine was planted with the aid of the CIA, MI-6, and others. The president of the Ukraine, Yankovich, was leaning toward keeping close ties with Russia. But, he was chased from office in coup by those wanting to join up with the European Union (EU). The US and the EU were very quick to recognize the new Ukraine government. One might ask why the EU was so anxious to have another bankrupt country join their fold. Don’t they have enough bankrupt countries on their southern flank? Why would they want another bankrupt country on their northern flank? There are , at least, two reasons. First, if the Ukraine was in the European Union, the EU (it thinks) would be in a position to better negotiate gas prices with the Russia giant Gazpom. Secondly, whenever the EU expands, it isn’t long before NATO also expands.

Norma Brown, of Ooobie on Everything, reminds us once more that it is the US led NATO that has not lived up to its word:

Russia is mad as hell and it isn’t going to take it anymore. NATO has vastly increased the security of its original founding members over the past twenty years by eating away at Russia’s safety zone. It did so in violation of an agreement between western heads of state and high officials with their counterparts in the USSR that NATO would not expand eastward. And in exchange for that security guarantee, the USSR withdrew 400,000 troops from eastern Europe and made possible German reunification and continued NATO membership. I read today that the Supreme Court has previously ruled that an agreement (such as that with Gorbachev) made between officials authorized to make such agreements has legal standing as a treaty, even if oral and thus not ratified by the Senate. So from the start of Russia’s rebirth as a non-communist nation, it has seen the West {that} reneged on commitments vital to Russian interests.

The US, that once Shining City on a Hill, is looking a tad tarnished and its friends in the EU aren’t looking any better. The coup in the Ukraine was just the latest attempt by the US led NATO to stick its finger in the eye of Russia.

Russia’s economy is not the most robust economy in the world for sure. Russia’s economy depends on their two major exports: energy (oil and gas) and weapons. Energy exports are by far the most important. Sanctions being applied against Russia by the US and the EU are and will continue t hurt the Russian economy. But, the EU is dependent on Russia for a significant percentage of its natural gas consumption and to think that Russia won’t use its gas as a weapon in response to the sanctions is just foolish. Germany is very much aware of that, which is why I doubt that the Ukraine fiasco will lead to war even if Russia eventually absorbs all of eastern Ukraine.

Yet the US and the EU are in talks about placing more severe sanctions on Russia. If they do put more severe sanctions on Russia, what are Russia’s options? Russian spokespersons have said that the dollar could come under attack if the Russian economy is hurt by sanctions. The dollar is vulnerable, folks.

I wonder if Obama and his counterparts in Europe understand that their heavy footed actions may come down on an economic land mine?

Thanks for sharing the word; actually there is a growing international chorus of dissent from political, cultural and social leaders against the bellicose and provocative posture of the EU/US/NATO bloc toward Russia. A lot of people are asking, where does NATO’s security stop and Russia’s begin? At what point would NATO ever admit Russia is acting in defense of vital national interests? It’s as if, having forgotten that the US too has vital interests (but not hardly in Ukraine) that it cannot understand the very concept? NATO is acting like a psychopath, driven to surround Russia. “Onward, onward into that valley of death” — it stands as much chance of success as invasions of Afghanistan.